


Distractions

by ImperfectOrphanage



Category: Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-31
Updated: 2017-03-31
Packaged: 2018-10-13 03:18:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10505319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImperfectOrphanage/pseuds/ImperfectOrphanage
Summary: The Long Game had done much for Neku and Joshua. Unfortunately, not all of it was positive.---[Warning: PTSD/Triggers]





	

It had taken a series of dates and several months before Joshua and Neku decided to share an apartment in the middle of town. Neku had been willing to move in under the promise of Joshua’s gun collection being stored elsewhere, and all accessories pertaining to being kept under lock and key. It was easy for Joshua to agree. He didn’t need the guns often-only when friends from other cities came.

The rest of the questions-such as who got the bathroom first thing in the morning-weren’t important and would be worked out as they went along. Joshua had no real position to be to in the morning, and he enjoyed bathing at night more than showering in the morning.

“Okay,” Neku said, bringing Joshua to the present, “where are we going to put the painting?”

Joshua glanced at the half-unwrapped painting leaned against the wall. It was something he had worked on years ago, but Neku had taken a fancy to it.

“We could put it on the wall next to the door,” Joshua offered. “The space is large enough and we haven’t furniture for that particular spot.”

With a nod, Neku checked a question on his list off and wandered into the kitchenette. “I brought some basics as far as dishes go. I thought we could find a set once we’re settled in.”

“Of course,” he agreed, running his finger along the counter. “Do you know if the furniture will arrive today or tomorrow?”

“Uh,” Neku flipped a page, scratched his hair, and frowned, “nine on Wednesday. Shit. Tomorrow. We’ll have to sleep in the floor.”

Joshua giggled. “My, we can make a tent and pretend to be camping out.”

“Yeah, that’s cute,” Neku laughed. “We can’t cook out but we’ve got a gas stove. We could pretend to be roasting hot dogs on a fire.”

“Excellent.”

Neku smiled at him. It was one of those rare looks of supreme happiness and peace. His eyes were soft and his mouth was curved just so. Joshua wanted to kiss Neku on the lips, but they had barely gotten to the point where Neku would allow Joshua to touch him intimately.

Innocently enough, Joshua twirled a hand in the air and said, “we could have popcorn.”

The clipboard Neku held immediately tumbled from his fingers and he quickly bent to retrieve it. “Popcorn…uh…sure. Sure.”

Joshua tilted his head. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, fine,” the boy shot him a false smile, “I just remembered I need to make sure they delivered my underwear box or I’m going commando for a week.”

“Of course,” Joshua said, not at all buying it. “Have you been taking your medication?”

Neku shook his head. “It’s not that. I’ve been taking it right on schedule.”

“Good.” He came to stand behind Neku, encircling his waist. “I want you to be comfortable.”

Setting the clipboard on the counter, Neku reached up to touch Joshua’s arms. “I know. I’m just not completely over it yet. You understand, right?”

“Whatever you need, Neku, you ask. I will give you the moon if it will help.”

Neku turned in Joshua’s embrace. “You don’t have to do that. Hey, why don’t you go see what we need to sort through for the bathroom?”

“I love sorting the bathroom. I believe I bought some new linens and a shower curtain. Oh, and I brought my collection of bath bombs and candles,” he rambled, walking toward the bathroom just outside of the bedroom on the opposite end of the small apartment. There were boxes on boxes in the bathroom, and he began to sort through them by looking at the detailed labels.

He could hear Neku talking to the clipboard, arguing with the things he had written down. Outside, Joshua could hear the cars and people below the fourth floor. It wasn’t particularly noisy unless the apartment was completely quiet. Joshua listened to the chorus of rumbles and shouts, and he leaned into a tall box to look for the washcloths.

The sound was muffled from his position in the box of towels, but he heard it-a car backfired and was followed quickly by a clatter in the kitchenette.

Joshua immediately pulled away from the box and hurried to check on Neku. He was kneeling on the floor with his hands on his ears and his eyes scrunched shut. It hurt Joshua to see Neku in such a state, especially knowing it was he himself who had caused the boy’s trauma.

“Neku, shh,” he whispered, kneeling next to the boy as slowly as possible. In the past he had flown to Neku’s side and was backhanded for the effort. Joshua learned to be patient. He learned to let Neku take control of the situation and to merely guide Neku to a positive outcome. “Talk to me. Neku, place your hands on the floor. C’mon.”

“No,” he exhaled, chest heaving. “No…”

“Come on,” Joshua assured. He took Neku’s hands from his ears and put them on the cold floor. “What do you feel?”

Neku bit his lip. He managed to mumble, “floor”.

“Tell me five things about the floor.”

“Cold,” Neku whimpered, “cold, hard, and…and soft to touch…and…”

“Open your eyes,” Joshua said, stroking Neku’s cheeks. “Come on.”

Neku finally did. He stared at the tile. “It’s ugly.”

“I agree with you,” Joshua laughed. “Alright. What do you hear? You hear my voice. Listen to my voice, Neku. I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”

The boy nodded. He was still trembling. “Y-yeah…okay…uh…I smell…cleaner. It’s the lemon cleaner you like to use. The smell is sharp and citrus and it makes me think of stale cookies. Uh…I can see the carpet, the walls, the painting…I can see you.”

“Good job,” he said, relieved that Neku thought to check those things on his own. Joshua reached into his pocket and held out a small, wrapped chocolate. “Eat this.”

Neku unwrapped the foil and stuffed the chocolate heart in his mouth. It began to dissolve instantly. “It tastes sweet and bitter. I can taste the puffed rice. I can feel it on my tongue.”

“I’m proud of you.” Joshua put a hand on Neku’s back and began to rub up and down his spine in small circles. “Do you feel safe? Do you need me to get you a blanket?”

Blue eyes met Joshua’s gaze. “No. I’m okay. I’m okay. It’s just-“

“Stop. Don’t talk about it. It’s not important. The past cannot hurt you unless you let it. Neku, focus on me and my voice.”

“Yeah,” he whispered. “I’m good. I promise.”

Joshua put on a brave smile and helped Neku to stand up. He gathered the clipboard and pen from the floor and handed it back to him. “You are doing very well, Neku.”

The extent of Neku’s vernacular when stressed was, “yeah” and “okay”. It didn’t bother Joshua when all he received was those two words repeated in different forms. He left Neku’s side momentarily to grab a blanket and a box of small toys.

“Come sit, Neku.”

“On what? We don’t have a couch.”

Joshua laughed. “We have pillows, blankets, and a mattress.”

He spread his arm out toward the mattress in the center of the living room directly in front of the laptop currently being used as a television. Joshua spread the blanket out on the mattress and set the box down next to it. Quickly returning to the bedroom, he pulled two more blankets from the box of bedroom linens and a couple pillows to toss onto the mattress. When he returned to the room he found Neku sitting on the mattress with the blanket curled around his body with only his head sticking out.

“What would you like to watch?” Joshua sat down next to him.

Neku swept the blanket out and encircled them both. “Whatever.”

“Let’s watch something fun,” Joshua said, snuggling close. “Perhaps I’ll order us some takeout and later we’ll eat an entire box of brownies.”

“I don’t think that’s healthy, Josh.”

Joshua shrugged. “What do I have to lose?”

“Thanks,” Neku said suddenly. “For everything.”

“It’s what you deserve. You are important to me, Neku. Are you alright? I brought the box of distractions just in case. I rather like the plastic cube with switches.”

Neku reached into the box and pulled out a cat paw squishy. “I like this one. It smells nice.”

“What about,” Joshua dug, “this little slinky?”

“I don’t like the sound it makes,” Neku explained.

They took turns reaching into the box to give their reviews about each little item and toy. It distracted both of them from the elephant in the room.

Joshua hadn’t noticed it at first. When Neku came back into his life and they agreed to become friends and friends alone, the pain Neku was suffering hadn’t been obvious. It was only when Joshua grew close enough to stay overnight with the boy that he saw the damage he’d done.

The fifteen-now seventeen-year old would trigger with fireworks, popcorn, and backfiring cars.

It was demanded of him by Joshua to seek counseling and through months of arguments and struggling to help Neku as best he could, he finally got Neku into treatment. The Game had affected Neku in ways Joshua hadn’t even imagined and the carefully chosen words spilling from his proxy on those first few meetings with a psychologist made Joshua’s heart break.

He had only meant to help Neku. He wanted to make Neku’s life meaningful.

Neku refused to let Joshua hold the guilt of what he’d done. If either of them began to talk of the past they would distract each other and keep focused using the grounding techniques taught to Neku by the rather helpful mental health staff.

It was a struggle. Joshua would have liked to think there would be a happy ending in the future, but the future was far off and the present was what mattered.

Enjoy the moment, right?

“…and this one looks like a bear.”

Joshua smiled as Neku continued to dig things from the box.

No matter the moment, so long as he was with Neku, Joshua would enjoy it.


End file.
